


Safety First

by aubreyblitch



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 3x20, Canon compliment, Comfort, F/M, Jughead just overall being the perfect boyfriend, protective jughead, soft Jughead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-15 21:02:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18677338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aubreyblitch/pseuds/aubreyblitch
Summary: A missing ending to 3x20. Betty’s still terrified and distraught, and Jughead’s only goal is to make her feel safe.





	Safety First

**Author's Note:**

> i loved this episode, but i still need more of protective jughead. seriously, it is ADORABLE how soft and protective he is with her. also, bound to bite should hopefully be updated around saturday or sunday. if not, please be patient, it’ll be here next week. anyways, enjoy!

Betty could still hear the screech of her father’s hook on the lockers as she sat silently on the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the waiting area for the police station. Jughead’s arms were wrapped around her like a vice, gripping her with enough force that even Archie wouldn’t be able to yank him away. She welcomed the embrace though, her head on his chest as she shivered.

Veronica and Archie sat across from them, having been kind enough to bring them a change of clothes so they could get out of the G&G inspired prom attire while they waited for FP to finish writing Betty’s statement.

Betty had barely been able to open her mouth for five minutes before she was breaking into sobs, Jughead holding onto her. He had refused to leave her side, even when FP demanded she be alone to explain what happened. FP had finally given up, and Jughead had practically breathed down her neck the whole time, waiting for her to have a breakdown and throw herself into his arms.

By now, the makeup she had worn had long been ruined by breakdown after breakdown, and Betty didn’t have to look in a mirror to know she looked disheveled.

Veronica and Archie had stumbled in not long after Betty was finished giving her statement, the looks they had given her had been enough to make her start sobbing. Veronica had tried to hug her, but it was practically impossible and the raven haired latina had finally just let Betty clutch on to Jughead. Archie didn’t bother, just tried to give her support.

Finally, FP walked in, giving Betty a sympathetic look, and Betty clutched tighter onto Jughead’s side. 

“We’re all done here,” FP stated. “Betty, if you see or hear from your father, don’t hesitate to come to me. Trust me, I want this son of a bitch in jail as much as you do.”

Betty just gave a tiny nod. 

Feeling Jughead start to stand, Betty dragged herself to her feet, her legs wobbly and ready to collapse under her at a moment’s notice.

Jughead gently wrapped his serpent jacket around her before slipping his arm behind her waist to support her in case she crumbled. 

Veronica raised herself up onto her feet, smoothing her skirt down and giving a grimace. “Why don’t we all just head back to Archie’s house? That is, if it’s okay with you.”

Archie nodded, hopping to his feet. “Yeah. Absolutely.”

Veronica gave him a nod and a small smile before looking back to Betty. “That sound good to you B? We can all sleep in the same room.”

“Okay,” Betty murmured.

Nudging her gently, Jughead lead Betty out of the police station and into the cold, crisp air, ready to catch her at any moment if she fell.

Veronica and Archie trailed behind them before muttering something about meeting them there as they hopped in Archie’s car, quickly driving out of the parking lot.

Jughead felt Betty shudder and let out a breath as they approached his bike, her arms finally slipping into the oversized jacket. 

“Are you sure you can hang on to me?” he murmured, holding her hand. “I can call Archie and tell them to let you ride with them and I can meet you guys there.”

“No,” Betty choked. “Please don’t leave me Jug, I can’t, don’t leave me-“

“Hey, hey,” Jughead soothed, wrapping his arms around her, feeling his heart ache as her body was wracked with sobs. He felt fury burn through him, ready to snap the neck of Hal Cooper. He had hurt Betty over and over again, and Jughead would be damned if he walked away into a nice, cushy jail cell again.

“C’mon,” Jughead whispered. “You need some sleep.”

Betty sniffled, wiping her eyes as Jughead planted a kiss on her forehead before pulling his keys out of his pocket and straddling his bike. Not being able to bare being away from him for more than a few seconds, Betty sat behind him, her arms gripped around his waist so tight she could practically feel her knuckles turning white.

Within seconds, the bike roared to life and Betty felt the familar rumble beneath her. 

“Ready?” Jughead asked.

“Yeah,” Betty answered, burying her face against his back.

Jughead kicked it out of park, before taking off and zooming out of the parking lot, ready to get Betty the hell away from everything and everyone. At this point, he barely even trusted Archie and Veronica to be with her at this point. All he wanted to do was pack their bags and take Betty as far away from Riverdale as possible.

Speeding across Riverdale without a care about how fast he was allowed to go, Jughead and Betty were at the Andrews residence within a few minutes. Archie’s car was parked on the sidewalk, and Jughead parked behind him.

Climbing off the bike, Jughead put the kickstand in place before helping Betty off, his arm instinctively on her shoulder. 

Ambling across the street, Betty and Jughead approached the house. Jughead leaned forward, getting ready to knock when the door flew open, causing Betty to let out a cry and jump.

Jughead pulled Betty towards him, her breath ragged and her eyes watering again as Archie stood in the doorway.

“Sorry,” Archie apologized. “Ronnie heard a bike, she wanted me to see if it was you guys.”

“Clearly it is,” Jughead snapped.

“Sorry Betty,” Archie gave her a small smile, and Betty took in a shaky deep breath.

“It’s okay Arch,” she mumbled.

“Is your mom home?” Jughead asked.

“No, she’s out with her navy friend, wanted to hang out before she left town.”

Jughead nodded, before slipping by Archie, holding on to Betty’s hand and pulling her in.

Veronica sat on the couch in pajamas, the TV on, playing a movie or show Betty didn’t recognize.

“I made a quick trip back to your old room and grabbed some PJs for you, B,” Veronica smiled. 

“And I’ve still got some here from when you lived here,” Archie added to Jughead.

As Betty thanked Veronica and took the clothes, she felt a light kiss on her head as Jughead ran upstairs to change clothes.

Betty exhaled, before rushing into the bathroom and locking the door. She gasped for air, feeling the panic she felt in the closet rush back. Betty could feel the walls closing in on her, and she peeled out of the sweatpants and t-shirt Veronica had brought her. As fast as she could, she shoved on the shirt and shorts, her hands clutching the sink as she finished.

Betty stared at herself, her ruined makeup and her bloodshot eyes.

She just needed tonight to be over with. 

Betty yanked tissues out of the box rapidly, wetting them under the sink water and desperately scrubbing her face. 

By the time she had finished, she had broken into loud sobs and she could barely breath as she threw the tissues away and collasped onto the floor.

Sucking in for air as she let out choked sounds, Betty heard loud knocking on the door that made her jump.

“Betty!” Jughead spoke.

Betty fiddled with the door lock before turning it and falling backwards, her hand covered her mouth as her whole body was wracked with sobs.

The door was open and closed within seconds, Jughead dropping down onto the floor next to Betty and dragging her into his lap.

He rocked her, his chin resting on his head as she cried, her knuckles white as she held onto his shirt.

“Breathe Betty,” he tried to tell her. “Breathe.”

Betty sucked in large gasps of air before returning to crying, but not as hard as she was before. She hiccuped as she sat in his lap, her body curled up and his arms covering her.

“Betty,” he murmured.

Continuing to cry, he stroked her hair, trying to calm her down.

“It’s my fault,” Betty cried. “I had him transferred, I’m the reason he was on that bus. He’s going to kill me.”

“Betty,” he spoke, his tone serious. “I swear to you, on my life, that as long as you’re with me, he won’t hurt you. I swear.”

“Jug,” she sobbed.

“Shhh,” he soothed, continuing to rock her and stroke her hair.

After a few minutes, Betty finally managed to calm down and reside to hiccuping and sniffling. He kissed her on the top of her head again, before wrapping his arms around her thighs and lifting her up.

Her legs were tangled around his back, her face in the crook of his neck. As gently as he could, he carried her out of the bathroom and into the dark living room where Archie had set up an air matress for them, while Archie and Veronica had claimed a couch.

Jughead didn’t miss the bat next to where Archie sat, and a chair had been shoved against the door, while Veronica had managed to close the blinds as tightly as possible and had put padlocks on the windows and doors. Nobody was getting in.

Tiredly, Jughead sat down on the air mattess, his back leaning against the coffee table and Betty remained cradled in his lap. 

“We figured we could watch a movie before bed,” Veronica explained, remote in hand and the TV shining brightly in the dark house. “It’s late, but we thought it’d be better than just thinking when we’re trying to sleep.”

“What movie?”

“Ferris Beuller’s Day Off. I tried to make it as light as I could.”

Jughead nodded, still feeling Betty shake in his arms. All he wanted to do was hold her as tight as he could and take her away to somewhere where nobody knew them. No Black Hood, no Farm, no Gargoyle King. Somewhere he could protect her and never have to worry about if one day he found her murdered by her father.

Only maybe thirty minutes into the movie, he could feel Betty slump against him, trying to lay down. He slipped down, her body still on top of his and his arms territorially around her back. Nobody was laying a finger on her, and if they did, he was breaking their neck.

She kept her face buried in his though, and he felt her sigh, making him tighten his grip. 

Around the hour mark, she slipped off of him, rolling on to her side so she could lean her head on his chest and watch the movie.

Begrudingly, he loosened his grip, but still kept her as close as possible.

By the end of it, Archie had passed out, and Veronica barely had the energy to press the off button on the remote.

Jughead rolled Betty over onto her side, facing away from the front door, making it so if anyone tried to break in, all he had to do was reach over to his other side to grab the bat.

He slipped an arm around her stomach, and underneath it, pressing him into her back. Their legs were tangled, and she nuzzled backwards into him.

“Jug?” she whispered in the dead silence.

“Yeah?”

“Promise me he won’t get the best of us.”

“I promise. He’s never going to be allowed to even breathe the same air as you when this is done.”

She sighed. “Thank you.”

Jughead brushed her hair off of her neck, pressing his lips against the cool skin. She craned her neck backwards, and he lifted his head to meet her lips in the dark.

Despite his efforts to be gentle, his lips were forceful and meaningful, the kiss searing.

Finally having to break free for air, Betty pressed her forehead to his.

“I love you,” she whispered, a tear slipping from her eye.

Brushing it away, Jughead planted a softer kiss on her lips.

“I love you too.”

Turning her head back, she pressed her backside into Jughead, his arms clutching her tighter.

And as they drifted into sleep, she prayed he’d never let go.


End file.
